Aldi marquee back for another year at the National Ploughing Championships

It proved to be hugely popular at the National Ploughing Championships last year and this line up is sure to be popular again

Reporter:

Damian Moran

15 Sept 2017

Email:

damian@offalyexpress.ie

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Johnny Lynch, Ireland’s only buffalo farmer and star of Aldi’s famous advert will also be making an appearance on Day 1

The Aldi marquee is back at the National Ploughing Championships with a jam-packed line up throughout the three-day festival which takes place in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

Entertainment will be provided by Irish country music star Mike Denver and Dancing with the Stars Professional Karen Byrne, Irish rugby and soccer stars of past and present will be dropping by to support Aldi Play Rugby and Aldi Community Games and over 35 of Aldi’s Irish suppliers will be tempting visitors’ taste buds by showcasing the very best in Aldi’s multi-award winning range of Irish sourced food and drink.

Visitors are especially encouraged to get to the marquee during Mike’s daily set on stage, to be in with a chance of once again getting their hands on a complimentary Stetson hat.

Day 1: Dancing with the Stars Professional Karen Byrne will be joined by members of Ferbane, Ballycumber and Banagher Foróige Clubs (all Co. Offaly), for a very special performance! Outside the marquee, Aldi Play Rugby – the Aldi supported national IRFU initiative that enables children to get involved in rugby in a safe and fun manner – will take centre stage, with children of all sizes given the chance to take part and have some fun. You never know, you might even get to meet and test your skills against some of the current stars of the Irish Rugby team!

Coming all the way from Macroom, Co. Cork, Johnny Lynch, Ireland’s only buffalo farmer and star of Aldi’s famous advert will also be making an appearance on Day 1, alongside one of his buffalo. Johnny supplies Aldi’s award-winning Specially Selected Macroom Buffalo Mozzarella to all of Aldi’s 129 stores.

Aldi will once again sponsor The National Brown Bread Baking Competition, in association with the National Ploughing Association (NPA) and the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA). Day 1 will also see the Foróige Junior Baking Competition also sponsored by Aldi kick off in the marquee. Both competitions will run for the three days with the overall winners announced on Thursday.

Day 2: Day 2 will see former Republic of Ireland goalkeeping legend, Packie Bonner popping in on behalf of Aldi Community Games. The main stage in the Aldi Marquee will see chef Mick Quinn teaming up with a selection of Aldi suppliers for cookery demonstrations, as well as being joined on stage by Paul O’Connell and Packie Bonner for a cooking demonstration which is not to be missed!

Day 3: Members of the Irish Women’s Rugby Team will take part in some training in the Aldi Play Rugby area, while one of Ireland’s most capped former international soccer players, Kevin Kilbane, will be stopping by on behalf of Aldi Community Games.

Broadcast beauty and brand-new mum Síle Seoige will also be on hand to MC the Aldi Marquee throughout the three days, as well as hosting the National Brown Bread and National Junior Baking competitions, whilst Irish country music star Mike Denver will keep the masses moving and jiving in the marquee with a daily set.

Aldi will be joined by 35 of its Irish suppliers in its marquee, who will be taking part in live on stage cooking demonstration and providing samples of Aldi’s premium Irish product range.

FoodCloud’s Co-Founder and CEO Iseult Ward, with whom Aldi partners with to redistribute its surplus food to charities and organisations that need it most, will also be on site on Day 2, providing advice on how we can minimise food waste and taking part in a live cooking demo. The Mamia Baby Area is back, bigger and better, having proven so popular last year. A new addition this year is the Aldi Skin Care Zone, where members of the public can come along and sample products from Aldi’s Skin Care Range. Aldi’s Beauty Expert, Ruth Griffin, will be on hand on Day 1 to give her top tips for glowing skin!

“We’re thrilled to be back as one of the main sponsors of this year’s National Ploughing Championships and are looking forward to welcoming visitors to our marquee.“ said Finbar McCarthy, Group Buying Director at Aldi Ireland. “Once again, the Aldi Marquee will be the destination of choice, with a huge array of entertainment planned, from cookery demos, to baking competitions and live music to sporting demonstrations.

“We will be joined by many of the Irish producers that provide the hundreds of premium quality Irish products found on the shelves of our stores. Supporting Irish agriculture and Irish food and drink is of huge importance to Aldi and we are delighted to present some of our best Irish fare to visitors. Over 50% of our supplier spend is now with Irish producers.

“Visitors will also get the chance to learn about the progress of the many national and local community projects Aldi has supported in Ireland, including the Foróige Youth Citizenship Awards, Aldi Play Rugby, Aldi Community Games and our partnership with FoodCloud.”

NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said, “We are delighted to be renewing our partnership with Aldi and the ICA given the popularity and success of the National Brown Bread Baking Competition at Ploughing. With record crowds of 283,000 visitors in attendance last year and the site in Screggan proving to be a phenomenal success, signals would suggest another “great ploughing” is on the way. The Championships not only provides a national stage for showcasing all things agricultural, but also brings together people from all sectors of Irish society both rural and urban, to enjoy three days immersed in country living.”

Packed with fun, food, sports and Stetsons, the Aldi marquee is set to be one of the highlights at the National Ploughing Championships so make sure to stop by!

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